Apply for King County ‘Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling’ list

King County’s annual Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling list is accepting applications for 2014. Now in its eighth year, the list recognizes businesses in King County that have excelled at preventing waste and promoting recycling.

“Businesses in King County are doing an incredible job of coming up with easy and creative solutions to reduce waste, whether it’s educating staff, making it easier to recycle, or offering reusable materials,” said Karen May, King County Solid Waste Division program manager. “Getting on this list is a great opportunity for them to receive recognition and share their success.”

The list honors local businesses from all sectors regardless of size or business type – from education and medicine, to technology and transportation. Past lists have featured a diverse range of honorees, including Evergreen Health, the Westin Bellevue Hotel, and Marlene's Market & Deli.

Successful applicants will also be considered for King County’s “Re-Innovator Award,” which recognizes a single business with an exceptionally innovative waste reduction program. Last year’s recipient, Redmond-based printing company Hot Off The Press, won the award after successfully greening their entire printing process.

The deadline to apply is June 13, and the list will be announced July 2. The application is open all King County businesses, excluding those in the cities of Seattle and Milton.

In order to be eligible for the list, a business must meet five required criteria, and be able to meet at least 10 benchmarks. Benchmarks include actions such as collecting food scraps and food-soiled paper for composting, collecting batteries for recycling, or offering paperless billing to customers.

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